New Year's Eve blog

This year, for some reason I'm not entirely sure of, I have chosen to spend New Year's Eve on my own.

Yup, that's right. I've chosen it. I have several invitations of places to be. A friend and I had decided to touch base a couple of days ago and check out what we wanted to do. But I haven't gone anywhere or done anything.

Maybe it's because of the way the year's gone. It started with my parents losing the family home, the home they had been in for 48 years, to the Christchurch earthquake of February 22.

It continued with me realising that what I had hoped would be a dream job had turned to custard — and walking away from it.

And then, just a couple of months ago I lost my lovely, gentle 16½-year-old Cassipuss to the inevitability of old age.

In some ways, you could say it's not been a great year.

But, to be honest, I've had worse. I'm not broken-hearted. I'm not depressed. I'm just not in the mood for company tonight.

It's a strange thing, chosing to be alone at times when everyone expects to be with others. But sometimes, to be honest, it's necessary. Too many people too much of the time, and I start getting a little freaked by it all.

So this afternoon I took great pleasure in entertaining my dear cousin and his lovely wife and children, who I count among my close friends. And tonight, I watched Muppets from Space, laughing at the silliness over a couple of beers, and blogging.

Seems just right to me.

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you are enjoying it in the way that you want and need to.